The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-08-10

horses or sheep, cut when the clover Is
in full bloom, or when the timothy is
lust heading. Aweek or ten days before
the time for cutting the early or COW hay,
begin to watch the weather sharply and
without regard TO the weather indica-
tions' from Washington. On the first
decidedly clear day, especially if after a
general storm, and the wind north and
cool for the season, begin moving at
once, and, if convenient, with two ma
chimes, so as to get quantity making as
soon as possible. The chances are nine
out Of ten, if not ninety-ninc out of 100,
that there will follow, in this locality, at
least, three days of good hay weather;
hence it is best to cut down at once all
that can be handled in that time.
"The young grass on the damp ground
and in the cool air will cure slowly las 1t
should do to make the finest COW hay),
and the machine probably need not be
stopped the first day to rake the hay.
But the punches and thick places should
be shaken up and scattered about, and
as soon as the steel-tooth rake can per-
form properly the grass should be gath
cred into winrows-into small ones il IL
is curing slowly, and large ones If it is
curing rapidly The time of raking and
the size of the winrows give us complete
control of the operation of curing. If
cured too rapidly we lose part of the
heads and leaves, and lose at the same
time the finest quality and aroma of the
hay. If cured too slowly we run too
great risk from the weather. The win
rows should be turned or rolled over once
or twice to expose new surfaces to the
sun and air, but need not be re-spread as
in the method of cooking. The latter,
indeed, is too costly in time and labor
for modern farming.
"If partly cured hay is likely to be
caught in storm, cooking and hay cap:
may be resorted to; but the great secret
of successful haymakingi is not to be thus
caught. In haymaking, as usually prac
ticed, the cutting can be done in tho
morning; the raking toward evening
and the hauling next day. In this case
and still more when the already partly
dried grass can be cut and secured on thu
same day, but little risk of rain, will
ordinary observation and prudence, neet
! be run. Even the extra early succulen
! grass, which makes the finest COW hay
can be cut, properly cured and housed il
three days, which is within the limit o
the extra fine weather conditions noteC
above. But these must be watched for
prepared for, and when they come, mus
be improved with an extra force and en-
ergy. And, in my opinion, no extra out
lay will so well repay the dairyman a
that which secures such winter feed. Tn
amount of drying or curing needed de
pends very much upon the storing.
"If the mows are mere shelves wher
the hay will be only few feet in dept
and width, then the hay must be wei
cured or mould will surely appear. If
on the contrary, they are deep and wild
bays, exposed to the air-appoximating
in fact, the principles of the silo-the
the hay needs to be cured only SUI
ficiently to keep it from charring or firinj
with the heat of fermentation; provided
that a large quantity is put in at one time
and that the top-layers consist of stray
or well cured hay. With an abundanc
of early cut clover or mixed hay, cure
lightly in the field and stored in sue
mows, neither the dairy farmer nor hi
cattle need banker after ensilage; for tn
degree of succulency in such hay (muc
greater than ordinary hay) is nearer rigl
for q general winter feed than the sti
greater succulency of corn. Again, il
feeding value is much greater than foo
der corn whether green, dry or ensilageC
Lastly, partly, drying in the field an
dispensing with weights in storing
causes the labor to be less than that {
one;looa